


if enigma could unravel

by AlexiaBlackbriar13



Series: celestial devotion [4]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: (I'm so sorry), ARGUS, ARGUS Agents John and Lyla, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Angels, Angel Oliver, Angst, Baby Sara - Freeform, Broken Oliver, Cliffhangers, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Family Reunions, Felicity is STILL missing, Hurt/Comfort, Justice for Baby Sara, Love, Queen Family, Research Scientist Felicity Smoak, Supportive Diggles, True Love, Winged Oliver, Wingfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-08
Updated: 2017-01-08
Packaged: 2018-09-15 18:05:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9249554
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlexiaBlackbriar13/pseuds/AlexiaBlackbriar13
Summary: Captured by ARGUS and still searching for his stolen Soulmate, Oliver is forced to come to a realisation that in order to find Felicity, the Angel will have to delve into his past life, however painful that may be. Revisiting his human family, Oliver has to find peace with his former human existence before he can begin to hope for a future with Felicity.And finally, Felicity's fate is revealed.The penultimate instalment in the celestial devotion 'verse.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Happy New Year :)
> 
> And we come to the penultimate instalment in this 'verse! Thank you for all your support, I very much appreciate it.
> 
> Big thanks to Geniewithwifi and Bushlaboo for both giving me some advice when it came to this 'verse and it's ending.
> 
> Hope you enjoy.

* * *

_Don't make any sudden moves. Keep your wings completely still. Stay calm. Don't let them get to you. Don't become violent. Don't let them separate you from Diggle, Lyla and Sara. Stay calm._

Oliver repeated this to himself every minute as he was marched through the dark tunnels of the underground government base, keeping his blue eyes firmly fixed on Diggle's broad back in front of him and his wings tucked tightly against his back. He continued to tell himself firmly - this was for Felicity. To finally find out, once and for all, whether or not the government were involved in her disappearance. To discover whether it was the humans, or the Angels, that had stolen his Soulmate away from him.

When they had first arrived, being shepherded out of the vehicle in a garage that was sparse and tightly secured, Oliver had considered fighting. They had tried to take away his bow and quiver quite early on, causing him to wish it away into the etheric dimension, much to their shock. A divine weapon in human hands was never a good thing. His Angel blade was also stored in the etheric dimension, out of sight of the humans but within Oliver's reach; he could easily and quickly draw it out if required. But then the government agents dressed in black, with their semi automatics and SWAT helmets had swarmed around them, outnumbering Oliver five to one, and by the way they were moving, it had looked as if they were going to try and take Diggle, Lyla and baby Sara away.

Swiftly, he'd placed his hands in the air in the surrender position, his wings rippling, flaring intimidatingly before tucking as the Angel said quietly, deep growl of a voice echoing within the garage, "I'll cooperate if you keep us together, but separate us and you will not like what I will do in retaliation."

Satisfied at the wave of unease that crept through the crowd, Oliver had raised his head and slowly lowered his hands when they allowed him to move back towards the Diggle family. Lyla and Diggle had both looked relieved, the concern that had been etched into their faces at the thought of being apart from the Angel fading, but their worry still present.

Now they were being escorted down a corridor, making countless turns and passing through numerous doors. Distress tore at Oliver, knowing that the masked men were deliberately trying to confuse them and put them off, stopping them from remembering the route to the way out. He slowed his stride a little to allow Lyla to fall into place beside him, and then flared his wing so a shield of dark green feathers protected her back.

Baby Sara squirmed in her mother's arms, reaching out to Oliver with a demanding sound, ordering him to hold her. The Angel reached out and caressed her side gently, soothing her with his Grace until she settled. Lyla shot him a thankful look, as Sara had been acting quite fussy since they had arrived. Babies were tiring, and since they were already under so much stress, Lyla and Diggle didn't have to worry more about their daughter.

They finally reached the Cortex, a large communal area that looked like the headquarters of the government base. It was well lit, but the lights were sharp and fluorescent, hurting the Angel's eyes. He couldn't help but gaze around desperately, searching for Felicity, hoping to see a glimpse of her blonde hair or dazzling smile. People were milling about, standard masked men mostly, but there was also a mixture of special field agents, black suits, CSI and lab techs and senior government agents. So many humans in one space made Oliver's head spin - there were too many threats to process. He found himself halting just inside the doorway, his wings spreading and puffing out defensively. There was an immediate decrease in volume, the crowd going still as they caught sight of the Angel.

When one of the men escorting them jabbed Oliver in the back with the muzzle of his gun, the Angel released a snarl, giving a powerful beat of his wings as his Grace flared furiously in response; the light bulbs just above Oliver burst and shattered, sparking out over his head. Gasps of awe, shock and fear from the humans in the room accompanied the glass breaking sounds, and Oliver turned back to them with a heavy glare, unnerved by their staring.

"Easy, Oliver," Diggle warned, resting his hand on the archer's arm.

A woman approached from the side, her thin face solemn and yet smug at the same time, if that was possible. The way she held herself as she walked towards them made Oliver antsy, shifting on his feet so he was positioned in front of his two human friends, flight feathers fluffing up. This woman made him feel uncomfortable.

"John, Lyla." The woman smirked, making the Angel hiss. "And little Sara." She straightened, saying whilst tilting her head, "Aren't you going to introduce me to your pet Angel?"

Anger flared inside Oliver's Grace at being called a pet, but he didn't react, simply fixing his unwavering gaze upon the human woman. The woman frowned at him, eyes flitting sideways away from Oliver's in discomfort; Lyla had told him once that staring into the Angel's eyes was like looking into an abyss, which caused an uneasiness within the human mind.

"I am Oliver, a Warrior of God, and I belong to nobody," he replied, his voice powerful and echoing throughout the room strongly. "Who are you?"

"Amanda Waller. I’m Director of the Advanced Research Group United Support - ARGUS. We're a government sanctioned US organisation. We've been tracking you for a while, Oliver."

He didn't blink, but an enraged tremor shook through his bristling wings. "You shot me down from the sky, which resulted in my death."

Waller gave him an unpleasant smile, clearly unhappy at his unimpressed and indifferent tone. "You came back after vanishing, so you must have survived."

"Barely."

She didn't respond to the Angel, instead turning to his human friends standing behind him. "Agent Michaels, Agent Diggle, if you would both move to Interview Room 2, you both need to be debriefed."

Diggle and Lyla slowly exchanged glances, shooting a quick glance towards Oliver as well before they both moved a little closer to the Angel. Sara was making small distressed cries in her mother's arms, alarmed by all the bright agents and large crowd of humans in black and in tactical gear around them, but she stopped squirming when she became closer in proximity to Oliver. He ached to reach out and comfort the baby girl, partly because he knew it would soothe his own frayed nerves. Cradling Sara's innocent young Soul within his Grace was very calming.

"Oliver said stay close to him and don't get separated," Lyla said. "We're not leaving him alone with you, and we're not leaving his sight."

Waller didn't react, although Oliver could sense the woman's frustration, irritation and anger. "I wasn't aware you were taking your orders from the Starling City Guardian Angel instead of your employer and commanding officer."

Diggle shook his head slowly. "We trust Oliver. We don't trust you."

"Hmm." Waller pursed her lips. "Fair enough. I'll have Agent Andrews debrief you over at his desk in the corner, if that would make the Angel happier."

Oliver glanced over to the desk where the woman was pointing, narrowing his eyes. It was within viewing distance from anywhere in the Cortex, and he knew that he'd be able to reach the Diggles in seconds if need be. Satisfied, he turned to the pair of humans, whom were both gazing at him, waiting for his go ahead, and he gave them a short nod. "You can go. Do you want me to take Sara?"

"Thanks," Lyla murmured, passing the baby over to Oliver gratefully, resting her hand on Sara's back for a few seconds before pulling away.

Resting his chin on the little girl's soft curls, cradling her to his chest carefully, the Angel watched as Lyla and Diggle walked away a brief distance to the desk at which they were to be debriefed. Sara cooed, one of her tiny hands scraping over his stubble and patting his cheeks, whilst the other clutched a handful of his dark green feathers over his shoulder loosely. Waller looked over them both as if she had a sour taste in her mouth, before tilting her head to motion for Oliver to follow.

He was led over to one of the main set ups in the Cortex, and as he walked, the archer allowed his wings to stretch out behind him, the massive expanse of glimmering dark green feathers clearing a path through the throngs of silently staring, awed humans. He ached to fly, wing muscles flexing as he flared and tucked them repeatedly, restless due to being so surrounded, all escape blocked. Having baby Sara resting on his chest did calm him slightly, his thrumming heartbeat syncing to hers within half a minute. His Grace gently pressed up against her Soul in such a way that they were both reassuring each other.

"You've gained the trust of two of my finest field agents," Waller said, her tone clipped. "Enough so that they trust you with their daughter, and trust you more than they do me."

"I'm not the one invading their apartment and pointing guns at them and their baby, attempting to arrest them," Oliver replied, his voice just as tight.

"Which will not be happening." When the Angel startled slightly, surprised, the human pursed her lips. "You made one of my field agents swear by God to have the Diggles pardoned. I imagine that, considering your divinity, if they go back on their word, there will be consequences."

"They will be Damned," Oliver confirmed.

"Nevertheless, you cooperated," Waller continued. "You came in peacefully, and haven't openly threatened any of my agents. This will be easier than I expected."

Sighing heavily, Oliver stroked a hand over Sara's back as she squirmed in his hands, questioning resignedly. "What do you want?"

Waller smirked. "DNA samples and an inserted bio-implantable tracking device. Perhaps an interview or two, and a reassurance and signed contract that you will answer to the government's call for aid if help in some Divine form is required."

Oliver gritted his teeth; none of those things were anything he was ever remotely likely to give humans access to. But then again... Felicity. "I'll do a trade," he allowed. "I need information from you. Give me the information I need, and I will give you one DNA sample... and my personal mobile number."

Waller still looked irritated - Oliver was starting think that annoyed, angry, unimpressed and bitter were her only emotions - but she eventually nodded, saying, "I wouldn't usually negotiate, but this is the only way you're going to give us anything - I have the feeling that if we tried to lock you up until you gave in, you wouldn't remain here very long."

"Trust that feeling," Oliver replied. 

Waller shot him a scrutinising look. "You know, when the Starling City Guardian Angel first appeared, the government... was afraid," she mused. "Terrified of the unknown. Scared of even the thought of a Divine being existing on the face of the earth. As your work continued, that fear turned to awe. For quite a few days, you were revelled in this department. Then, the need to understand you arose, and we attempted to track you down, speak with you, and gain insight. Shooting you down was a last resort."

Sara squirmed in the Angel’s arms, so Oliver turned his attention to her rather than replying to the human woman. He actually thought it was a good thing that Sara decided to fuss at that precise moment, because he was pretty sure that any response he would have made to Waller would have been loud, rather aggressive and quite scathing, which would not have been very Angelic. Making funny faces to entertain the baby, and allowing her to brush her fingers against his feathers, Oliver strode over to an area to the side of the Cortex area, focusing on Sara whilst Waller had a doctor take a blood sample from him. It took several minutes for them to actually find a way to pierce his skin and find one of his veins, and the archer almost laughed when he saw that the doctor and Waller both appeared a little disappointed at the fact that his blood was a dull crimson, like all human blood was, instead of some strange Divine colour like gold or silver.

“And your cell number,” Waller demanded.

Oliver shook his head. “I get the information I need from you first.”

A disgruntled look passed over her face, but the woman nodded, guiding him over to the main computer set-up, where several technicians were working on some coding. “Fine. What do you want to know?”

“The location of Felicity Smoak,” the Angel replied firmly.

The room went still. Waller and the technicians exchanged glances, which made Oliver narrow his eyes suspiciously, gently bouncing Sara in his arms as he puffed and flared his wings out intimidatingly. He probably would have looked more impressive if he hadn’t had the baby clapping her hands over his shoulder, squealing happily and immediately burying her little hands in the mass of dark green feathers.

“Funny,” Walter said flatly. “We were going to ask you for the exact same thing.”

Ruffling his wings anxiously, he requested shortly, “Explain.”

“We don’t know where Miss Smoak is. She went missing before she arrived here at work.” Waller fixed him with a withering look. “We have absolutely nothing to do with her disappearance, I assure you. We thought _you_ did, which was why I sent my field agents to bring you and the Diggles in. They’re currently being interrogated for the location of Miss Smoak.”

Hearing this caused anger to spark within Oliver’s chest. Quickly casting a worried glance over to the Diggles, he was relieved to see that they were still seated over in that corner where they’d originally been taken, but furious that they both appeared stiff and uncomfortable. The Angel towered over Waller as he growled, “John and Lyla have been trying to help me find Felicity, they have no idea where she is - neither do I. Why would I?”

“For God’s sake,” Waller snapped. “We know, Oliver. We know you’ve been living with Miss Smoak for a considerable amount of time. We’ve had surveillance cameras in her apartment for months, and ever since you arrived there a month ago to live with her, we’ve been watching you twenty-four seven. We know you’re in a romantic and sexual relationship with her.””

“ _Don’t_ use the Father’s name in vain,” he spat, feathers bristling in an enraged manner. “And _don’t_ call me Oliver. Yes, I will not lie; I have been living with Felicity. I am in a relationship with her - which is none of your business. But I do _not_ know where she has vanished to. I have been _desperate_ to find her, and have been searching for _days_ , yet I cannot find any trace of her since she went missing.”

Waller dipped her head, looking at him closely for a moment, perhaps attempting to figure out whether or not there was a possibility he could be lying. Oliver was, of course, being completely truthful, and he allowed that to show on his face. Satisfied, but with a grim note to her voice, the director of ARGUS ordered one of her agents, “Release Agent Diggle and Agent Michaels from their debriefs, they know nothing of Miss Smoak’s location.”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

Waller turned back to Oliver. “How much do you know?”

“Practically nothing,” he admitted begrudgingly. Sara made a small sad sound at the resentment within the Angel’s voice that was angled towards himself. “We know that she dropped off the grid as she was making her way to work.”

“We have bio-implantable trackers in all of our field agents and most valuable employees. We were able to track her up to a certain point before her tracker went offline, and she went dark.” Quirking an eyebrow, the woman questioned, “Were you aware that Miss Smoak made a stop at a very peculiar location before she disappeared?”

His heart lurched. They’d never made any kind of discovery like that. “No. Where did the make the stop?”

The technicians pulled up Felicity’s tracker history, and Oliver’s eyes danced over the screen as a map of Starling was projected onto the largest screen, thin red lines threading across the city showing how Felicity had travelled and where she’d been over the last week. The line cut off abruptly at a location that made the Angel’s throat close up, and eyes widen. His heartbeat immediately increased massively in his alarm, and his Grace must have reacted negatively because Sara made a distressed noise, patting his cheeks concernedly.

“Queen mansion,” he whispered.

This didn’t make any sense. At all.

“Do you know why’d she’d go there?” Waller questioned lowly, gauging his reaction carefully.

“For me,” he murmured. “She’d - she’d go there for me, but I don’t -” He shook his head confusedly. “The Queen family are connected to my past,” he explained bluntly, not revealing much but giving Waller enough that she wouldn’t push for more. “But I never told her about that. I never told her specifically that I was connected to them. I don’t understand how she’d know…”

Oliver had spoken to Felicity about how he’d become an Angel before, but he had never, ever, mentioned the Queens to her by name. Telling his Soulmate about his drowning had been painful enough, and he’d suspected that if he’d informed the blonde about his old family, she would have encouraged him to interact with them. Which, of course, by Angel Law he was not allowed to do. There was absolutely no way Felicity could have known that he used to be Oliver Queen, the son of Moira and Robert Queen of Starling City, unless he’d told her. Unless… The Angel straightened up, his wings tensing as he stiffened. Unless one of his brothers, another Angel, had told her.

One of the technicians interrupted his thoughts. “The mansion has a secure CCTV network that we were able to tap into.” They showed him the black and white silent footage, marked with timestamps. “It shows Miss Smoak entering the mansion with Thea Queen, and then conversing with Moira and Robert Queen for around half an hour before she left. She’s MIA from that point of exiting the door. There’s no CCTV footage of her ever leaving the mansion grounds, but there’s no reason her tracker would go offline at that point. We’ve already scoured the grounds for any sign of her - there’s nothing. It’s as if she vanished off the face of the earth.”

Or maybe, the government agents weren’t searching hard enough. Maybe she was being covered by a supernatural, Divine shroud that meant she was indiscoverable to all humans. If she had been digging into his past, and the Angels and God hadn’t approved, then… but would they only hide her? Wouldn’t they kill her because of that? No, she was alive. He had to believe that. She couldn’t be dead. Her Soul’s light hadn’t died out yet; he could sense it. Oliver would be able to find her.

“I need to go,” the Angel told Waller, his voice strong and stony, informing her of something that he would be doing, regardless of what she thought about it. He needed to get to Queen mansion, speak to those people. Speak to his family. Find out what Felicity was asking them about.

Waller didn’t blink. “We cannot allow you to leave until the DNA sample has been analysed.”

That DNA sample result was going to be inconclusive. Oliver knew it, and he knew that she knew that as well. Divine beings probably didn’t even have DNA; there would be nothing for them to analyse. “I _will_ be leaving,” he announced firmly, drawing himself up to stand taller, Sara propped on one hip as he raised his chin, eyes burning.

“You can’t go,” Waller insisted.

Oliver set his steady, powerful gaze on the woman, and his dark green wings spread out slowly until the director was shrinking backwards from the Angel’s incredibly heavy presence, cast in shadows. “Try and stop me,” he murmured, his voice so quiet that he knew it sounded dangerous.

Eyeing him carefully, Waller bowed her head and moved aside. “We might call upon you from time to time,” she said quietly. “You clearly have resources we do not, and are in a much higher position than any of us could ever hope to be. We could use your help on more sensitive missions in the future.” 

“Don’t count on it,” he rumbled. He kept his face completely blank when Sara turned to Waller in his arms and made an angry, fierce face, exclaiming passionately, “ _Grrrr!_ ”. It was the most adorable thing he’d ever seen, and the other agents obviously thought so well, because even though Waller managed to not react, other humans snickered and cracked grins.

Reluctantly, Oliver handed over his cell number to Waller, as agreed. The humans split so a path was created through the Cortex towards the exit, and Diggle and Lyla joined him as he strode towards it, steely expressions on their faces. Nobody tried to stop them. Oliver reckoned that they were all too scared to try, not wanting to go up against a Divine being, especially since he had his wings flared out behind him and his razor sharp flight feathers were reflecting the sharp lights of the facility so much that he appeared to be glowing. Two agents, who informed them in small voices that they would offer transport for him for wherever they wanted, escorted them. It was only once they were outside, standing in the middle of nowhere with the freezing cold night breeze rustling their hair and making the humans shiver, that Oliver spoke up again.

“We need to go to the Queen mansion,” he announced lowly. When the Diggles sent him a questioning look, he told them, “Waller said that Felicity went there and spoke to the Queens before she went missing. There might be a clue there to what happened to her.”

He turned away to walk off, but Lyla caught the edge of his wing. The sharp pain it caused when she tugged on his feathers made him snarl, but when she swiftly released, he calmed slightly. The Angel soothed Sara when she mumbled nervously against his neck, her curls tickling his chin.

“Oliver, what aren’t you telling us?” Lyla asked concernedly. “You’re practically trembling. What is it about Felicity visiting the Queens that has you so shaken?”

Handing over the baby to her father when Diggle reached out for her, Oliver pulled his wings in close to his back, the limbs stiff and held still as he said tightly, “I think Felicity was investigating into my past. Looking into my life… before I became an Angel.”

Realisation dawned on Lyla quickly. Oliver had always known she was intelligent, but this just made him recognise how perceptive she really was, and perhaps how easily his emotions could be read. “Before you became an Angel, were you a part of the Queen family?”

The Angel shot a look towards the agents accompanying them, and the two humans rapidly began spluttering and stumbling about fetching a vehicle to drive them in, nearly falling over in their haste to get away. Once they were gone, and it was only the Angel and his two human friends and the cooing baby, Oliver sighed, his shoulders slumping heavily as he allowed the mental exhaustion which had been plaguing and worrying him since he had first been told that Felicity had gone to his old family home to show.

“Yes,” he admitted softly to them. “I used to be a Queen. Surely you’ve heard of what happened to Oliver Queen, Moira and Robert Queen’s young son.”

Diggle was looking at him like a blind man seeing the sun for the first time. “He died he was six, over two decades ago. You’re saying… that was you? You’re Oliver Queen?”

“I was,” he corrected. “I was playing on the beach with my best friend, Tommy Merlyn. We were just at the edge of the water, and the storm, it… it came on so quickly.” He swallowed, tears springing into his eyes as he remembered that crushing feeling of water flooding his lungs and all of his energy fading into nothingness as he blacked out. “The nanny wasn’t watching and - I was swept away. After I drowned, an Archangel met me at the gates, and my Soul was transformed into Grace. I became an Angel.”

The shock on Lyla’s face could be heard in her stunned voice as she asked, “So when people die, they can… become Angels?”

“Only a special few,” he said, knotting his fingers together. He really shouldn’t have been telling them these sorts of things, the secrets of Heaven, but what harm would it do? They were his friends, and if his theory was correct, then his brothers and sisters had betrayed him. “People who die too early, who had potential to do good, but were taken from the world too soon.” He shook himself. “The point is, once you become an Angel, you are meant to shed every attachment to Earth you possibly can. You’re not meant to talk about or even think about your human family. One of the most important Divine Laws is that you are never meant to make contact with your old human family.”

“Did you ever tell Felicity about your old family?” Diggle asked.

“No,” he shook his head. “Which means that somebody must have tipped her off.”

“Who?”

“It had to have been one of my siblings,” Oliver bit his lip. It was difficult to think of his brothers in this way, but he knew that one of them must have betrayed him, and told Felicity something about his past, to get her to investigate. “Roy, maybe. Raphael, I could see, considering he gave me that warning in the first place. It’s highly likely that the Angels took Felicity, if she was looking into my past. They really wouldn’t have liked that.”

“You said you were going to get in touch with Gabriel,” Diggle remembered, rubbing Sara’s back when the baby babbled randomly, trying to grab at the Angel’s wings again.

Oliver raised his eyebrow at him. “Yeah, five minutes before we got arrested and taken to a government facility. And I say I was going to try. Key word: _try_. There is no given guarantee that he will respond to me. There is a high chance that if Felicity has been taken, I am now being regarded as an outcast of Heaven.”

Lyla looked troubled. “A Fallen Angel?”

He spread his wings. “I still have these, and my Grace is as strong as ever, so not right now, no. Our priority at the moment, however, is getting to the Queen mansion. If you two want to go with Sara in a car with those two agents, I will fly ahead and try and get in contact with the Archangel. You two will probably get there before I do, so if you prep them then when I arrive I can begin the questioning.”

“Whoa, wait a sec,” Diggle protested, raising his hand, which made Sara squeal on his hip and clap her own hands happily. “You’re just casually going to break what you just said is one of the most important Angel Laws by talking to the Queens?”

Oliver took a step forwards, eyes alight with emotion as he told him, voice breaking, “John, it’s _Felicity._ I’d do anything to find out where she is and get her home.”

“Alright,” Lyla cut in gently, placing her hand on her husband’s arm when Diggle grimaced, looking as if he wanted to say something back to the Angel. “Oliver, we’ll meet you there.”

He nodded firmly, flashing the small family a small, reassuring smile as he pulled his green hood up to shadow his face. Wheeling around and bursting into a sprint, his boots hitting the asphalt silently and wings streaking out behind him, on his seventh step, the Angel leapt into the sky in a flurry of dark green feathers, soaring into the night. Angling his wings so that he was turning towards the Queen mansion, Oliver shut his eyes, losing himself to the feeling of the powerful wind currents guiding him and rustling his feathers and hair, the severely cold chill that numbed his entire body, but somehow also made him feel _alive_. For the first time ever in the Angel’s existence, he prayed. He called out to the Archangel Gabriel for guidance, requesting, no _pleading_ for an audience, appealing for his brother’s compassion, telling him that he _needed_ him.

His prayer ended just as he swooped around to enter the Queen ground’s airspace, falling out of the air current with a rapid dive before spreading his wings again to full span and giving a mighty flap to level himself in the air. The glowing windows of the Queen mansion could be seen below him, and Oliver held his breath as he caught sight of a small group of humans standing on the steps of the porch, most probably gazing up to the skies to try and catch a glimpse of him. He knew, however, due to his dark green suit and wings being camouflaged to the midnight sky, he wouldn’t be spotted.

He’d taken the longest route to arrive here, and even now, he was hesitating. He took three extra loops of the grounds whilst airborne simply because of the writhing mass inside of his chest that was making him feel sick. He was anxious, and, although he loathed admitting it… he was scared.

Oliver hadn’t seen his parents in the flesh since he was six. He had never met his little sister. The only time he’d seen them, pictures of them, since he had drowned on that beach, had been when he was reviewing all the files of the Starling City residents, whilst preparing to take up his duty of being a Guardian Angel. So yes, seeing them again was making him nervous. He had no idea how they were going to react to the knowledge that their son, who had died two decades ago in an accident, had become an Angel. Oliver didn’t have any clue what he was going to say, how he was going to greet them, and how he should act around them. Should he treat them like family? Should he be withdrawn, since he was basically a stranger to them? Hopefully, Diggle and Lyla had explained enough to them that the Queens would make all the first moves. If they were expecting Oliver to start things off… then he was doomed.

Inhaling sharply and holding his breath, Oliver snapped his wings to his sides and dived, before flaring them out and fluttering delicately down so he landed at the bottom of the porch steps. The stuttered gasps from his family caused his wing muscles to ripple in worry as he tucked them neatly and comfortably against his back, the tips of his flight feathers brushing the ground. Hesitantly, the Angel pushed down his green hood, revealing his face to the humans.

Moira and Robert were staring at him, jaws dropped and tears in their eyes, whilst Thea was blinking rapidly, eyes wide as she tried to comprehend what had just occurred in front of her. Oliver had to take a breath to calm himself, feeling unsteady on his feet as he desperately attempted to think of something to say.

In the end, he turned to where the Diggle family was standing, just behind the Queens, and questioned Lyla flatly, “Any sign of her?”

“We re-checked all the CCTV the head of security had,” Lyla replied. “Like Agent Edwards showed us before, Felicity’s MIA from exiting these doors.” She motioned upwards, pointing behind her, and Sara wiggled excitedly on her hip, throwing her own arms up into the air to hook her podgy little fingers on her mother’s sleeve.

He gave a sharp nod, clasping his hands behind his back as he took a few steps closer. “Thank you,” he told the Diggles. “For everything you’ve done for me. For Felicity. I very much appreciate it. Your help was invaluable, and it was an honour meeting you.” Tilting his head towards the baby, he added with a short smile, “And an honour to spend time with you, little one.”

Diggle looked confused. “You want us to leave.”

“I can take it from here,” he replied softly. “You have my cell number if you need to get in touch, and I hope to see the three of you again - Felicity and I, we’ll come visit. I promise.”

Diggle shook his head. “Oliver, we’re not leaving until Felicity is found and home safe,” he said firmly.

“Dig, if I’m right about what happened to Felicity…” The Angel shook his head. “From here on, you will all be in terrible danger. And I may not be able to protect you.”

“We’re not helpless, Oliver,” Lyla protested strongly, her expression determined and stubborn as he continued, tone hard, “We knew the moment that we got involved in this wild goose chase that it could be dangerous. We didn’t come into this unarmed, and if it comes to a fight, we’ll certainly not be hiding our claws.”

The Angel sighed frustratedly, looking away for a brief moment before turning back to them, a shiver running through his wings. “It’s not you two I’m worried about,” he informed them quietly, eyes settling on the small charge resting in her mother’s arms. “You two may be government agents, and you may be able to defend yourselves but… Sara is a baby. She could so easily get hurt. I couldn’t live with myself if she was harmed. Please, you have to leave… for Sara’s sake. I will keep you updated and informed as much as I possibly can. But I can’t, in good conscience, allow you to accompany me on this search any longer.”

Diggle and Lyla were now regarding him with sad and distressed expressions. They couldn’t ignore what he’d just said. Oliver was right. They were a family; they had a child, a vulnerable, beautiful baby girl who needed to be protected. As much as they hated to admit it, the Angel was correct.

Finally, swallowing as he gave in, Diggle jogged down the steps and offered his hand. Oliver bit his lip as his eyes darted down to it briefly before flying up again to meet the man’s warm brown gaze. Reaching out to take the hand firmly and shake it, the Angel repeated, “Thank you. For everything.”

“You too, man,” Diggle said.

The Angel turned to Lyla, and the woman looked as if she was on the verge of crying. She ran down the stairs as carefully as she could and wrapped her arms tightly around Oliver in a hug, burying her head in his neck. Sighing, Oliver wound one of his arms around Lyla’s waist whilst his other helped support Sara, who made a sad sound, seeming to realise that her parents were upset about something. She tangled her fingers in his hair and feathers, whimpering, as Oliver pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“Don’t be a stranger.” Lyla pulled away, angrily wiping her eyes. “Come and visit. And don’t think for a second that you and Felicity are gonna escape babysitting duties.”

“Of course,” he chuckled.

“We’ll do a run around the perimeter before we exit the property,” Diggle told him, quickly turning to the Queens and adding, “If you don’t mind.”

“Go ahead,” Robert Queen whispered, his eyes as round as plates and fixed on the figure of his son, alive and aged and with wings hanging from his shoulder blades.

The ARGUS agents were waiting across the driveway with the car, and Diggle gave him one last handshake before guiding Lyla away. Sara squirmed in her mother’s arms, making an upset, confused mewl as she reached over Lyla’s shoulder for the Angel, but Oliver simply gave her a soft smile as the baby grew further and further away from him, her cries becoming more and more distressed until the three members of the Diggle family clambered into the car and were driven away. Oliver shook himself to attempt to rid himself of the suffocating weight in the Angel’s chest that had settled there at seeing his three human friends leave, but all it did was ache more deeply.

Dread pooling in his stomach, with a slight hint of fear and apprehension, Oliver finally turned back to his family. Moira had taken a step down the porch stairs towards him at some point during his conversation with the Diggles, one of her shaking hands over her heart and the other gripping her husband’s hand tightly.

“Oliver?” she whispered, her voice trembling.

Dipping his head, the Angel gave a small sigh, followed by a weak and shy smile as he replied quietly, “Hi, Mom.”

His mother tried to dart towards him, but Robert held her back firmly. His father’s face was hardened and suspicious. He didn’t believe that what he was seeing was really his son, which was understandable – the last time he’d seen Oliver, he’d been a young child. “How do we know it’s really you?” he demanded.

Oliver took a shuddering breath. “When I was five, Tommy and I got in trouble for drawing all over the walls at the Merlyn mansion,” he remembered. “We were bored, and Malcolm was meant to be watching us, but he was more worried about business. When he found out, Malcolm was furious, but you laughed and said it was just ‘modern art design’. You took the two of us out for ice cream afterwards.”

The astonishment in his parents’ eyes caused a small smile to creep onto the Angel’s lips.

“Oh my god.” Moira’s hand flew up to her mouth in disbelief. She managed the last few steps down to him, her steps unsteady, and she reached out to brush her fingers along his cheek. Her hand jerked as her fingertips made contact with his skin, and a sort of strangled gasp escaped his mother’s throat. He closed his eyes as she sobbed, releasing Robert’s hand so she could hesitantly touch his wings. “I can’t believe this.”

“Son,” Robert’s voice was husky and croaky due to the tears in his eyes, all suspicion gone.

“Father,” Oliver greeted him, meeting the man’s gaze.

He didn’t think he’d ever seen such an expression of sheer shock on his father’s face, even when he’d been four and he’d scratched the side of his Mercedes with his bike. “You’re alive,” Robert whispered.

Oliver shook his head, saying softly, “I’m not. You know. Diggle and Lyla must have explained…” They must have known. He was standing in front of them, healthy and alive and aged, and for Father’s sake, he had a pair of wings on his back and he was dressed head to tow in green leather. 

“But you’re here.” It was the first time Oliver had ever heard his little sister speak, as Thea hid behind her father, looking upon the Angel with bemused awe. She seemed unsure about approaching him, unlike Moira, keeping back and making sure that there was enough space between them that the Angel couldn’t reach out and touch her.

He smiled at her sadly. “But I’m not human,” he reminded her gently. “I died when I was six years old, Thea. I remember being pulled into the ocean by the waves whilst Tommy screamed, and I remember drowning.”

Heaving another sob, Moira clutched him tighter in her embrace at his words. Oliver winced when her wrist slightly crushed his wing, easing himself back from her so he could hold her arms bracingly, allowing her to examine him closely. “I'm so sorry,” she whispered, her voice quivering with emotion. “I failed you as a mother, I didn't protect you, and you died because of -”

“It wasn't your fault,” he soothed her, swiping his thumb against her cheek and spreading his wings, curving them around her so they were half cocooned in a sea of dark green feathers, like a massive security blanket being draped over them. “There was nothing you could have done, and what is done, is done. It happened, but that was two decades ago. You can't blame yourself, Mom. I accept your apology, and I forgive you, but it honestly was not your fault.” Turning to see his father lowering his gaze, shame and self-hatred brewing in his dark eyes, the Angel reassured him quietly, “It wasn't your fault either, Dad.”

“Yes it was,” the man croaked. “Oliver, I didn't know you’d drowned until two days after you died. I was so tied up with business that I didn’t… If I'd been there, if I hadn't just offloaded you and Tommy onto that nanny when I was meant to be watching you -”

“We can't deal with what if’s, Dad,” Oliver said, shaking his head firmly. When his father turned away from him, a silent sob jerking his chest, the Angel released his mother to reach out and grasp Robert’s shoulder strongly. “Hey. It happened. Nothing can be done to change that now, and it's in the past. Don't waste your life thinking incessantly about what could have been’s and maybe’s. Yes, I died. Yes, I was only six. It was an awful tragedy. But we can't dwell on it.” He ran a hand through his hair, managing a shy smile towards Thea as he offered, “Turned out you didn't need me anyway. Instead of a troublemaker son, you ended up raising the perfect daughter.”

Thea looked heartbroken. “I would have liked a big brother.”

“And I would have enjoyed getting to know a little sister,” he replied, drawing her into a brief hug, although he could feel Thea’s form tense, which prompted him to let go of her. Thea pulled back, wrapping her arms around herself, looking small and insecure. Oliver wanted to envelop her in his wings and never let her go.

“I never thought I'd get this chance,” Moira sniffled, desperately trying to compose herself. “To see my two children standing together. To even just see you again, Oliver.” She and Robert both crowded him, touching his hands and his shoulders, brushing their fingers against his cheek, the nape of his neck, as if they still could not believe the Angel was standing in front of them. It made Oliver feel uncomfortable, but he indulged them. “Oh, my beautiful boy, you’re so _handsome_. So brave and strong. And your _wings_.”

“I'm nothing special,” he dismissed, shifting awkwardly.

“You’re our son,” Robert protested fiercely. “You will always be special to us.”

He was beginning to grow slightly uncomfortable under their close scrutiny and attention, feeling confined as they fussed over him, both his parents trying to touch his wings. He straightened his back, shoulders tensing as the Angel drew his wings in tightly away from Moira and Robert, despite their disappointed expressions. “As much as I am delighted to see you again,” he said quietly. “There are more pressing matters at hand.”

Both of his parents frowned, but Thea crossed her arms, catching on quickly as she asked, “Felicity Smoak?”

Oliver nodded, stepping away from his parents so he could face his little sister. “Yes. What did she come here to talk to you about?” He could hear the hint of desperation in his voice, but he didn’t care. The Angel had spent days searching for his Soulmate, if the Queens knew something about Felicity before she went missing, he wanted to know about it.

“She came to inquire about the circumstances of your death,” Robert replied. “We never released any specific details about the incident to the media, but she somehow knew that you’d drowned.”

“When we asked how Miss Smoak knew, she said that somebody else had told her, and she just wanted it confirmed,” Moira continued. “We would have sworn her to secrecy and thrown her out, but she said she was a government agent. She asked for a photo of you before you died, and we indulged her.”

“Did she use digital software to age the photo?” he asked stiffly. It was a long shot, but he practically knew Felicity like the back of his hand. If she had been requesting a picture of him when he was a child, she would have digitally aged it to compare the image to what he looked like now.

Thea reached into her pocket and fished out a folded up piece of paper, handing it over to him hesitantly. Oliver stared down at the digitally created photo in front of him, almost an exact reflection of his own image. If Felicity had seen this, it would have been confirmed for her that he used to be Oliver Queen. But how had she known to go down that road to investigate in the first place?

“You mentioned that somebody told her,” he questioned, raising his gaze and wincing when he saw the Queens flinch at the silent rage and concern that were visible. “I told her that I drowned, but someone else must have informed her of Oliver Queen’s demise. Did she name them?”

Thea shook her head. “No.”

It must have been the Angels. Oliver crumpled the piece of paper furiously within his hand, wings trembling. It was the only logical explanation. They must have either told her directly, or planted the idea in her head to prompt her to go searching for answers. And when Felicity had found out that he was Oliver Queen, discovered the secret of his past, then the Angels would have retaliated, due to it being against the Laws that humans know an Angel’s past identity. The fact that she’d gone missing only seconds after leaving the safety of the Queen mansion solidified it in his mind that it had been the Angels that had taken his Soulmate.

“Son,” Robert interrupted his thoughts, taking a firm hold of his arm to help ground him to reality.

“Yes?” Oliver said absentmindedly, still staring down at the crumpled photo. “Um, what happened after that?”

“She left,” his father replied. “She left the photo and said she had to go and speak to somebody. She saw herself out. We were still in shock over what she’d told us, how she knew so much, we didn’t do anything to stop her.”

The Angel nodded stiffly.

“Son. Look at me.” Oliver’s wings fluttered weakly in response as cast an impassive glance over his father. “Who is Miss Smoak to you?” Robert asked softly.

He took a shuddering breath. “She’s my partner,” he answered, voice small. “She’s my Soulmate. We’re… together. I love her.”

Moira had tears in her eyes again as she whispered, “Oh, Oliver.”

“She’s gone missing,” he pushed on, voice breaking. “And I don’t know how to….” Trailing off, the Angel pressed the palms of his hands into his eyes, his carefully schooled and blank expression collapsing. “She’s my whole world, I don’t know how to live without her.”

To his surprise, it wasn’t Moira or Robert who leapt to comfort him, but Thea. His little sister rushed forwards and wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace, her fingers gently combing the hair at the back of his neck as she shushed him softly, soothing him. Instinctively, Oliver flared his wings to half span and swathed them both in his dark green feathers, cloaking them in semi darkness as he dropped his head to her shoulder, finally releasing the pent up emotions of horror and fear and desperation inside of him.

“It’s alright,” Thea murmured into his ear. “I’m sure you’ll find her.”

“I’m so scared, Thea,” he mumbled, admitting what he’d been so afraid to confess for days. “What happens if I can’t?”

A warm hand settled on his back in the space between his wings and at first, Oliver tensed, but then he slowly began to relax as his mother’s fingers ran comforting circles over his skin, and his father placed a grounding hand on his shoulder blade. “You can,” Moira calmed him. “You _can_ find her, Oliver. If you believe that you can, you will.”

“Thank you.” A crushing feeling of guilt overwhelmed the Angel when he realised what he needed to do next. “And I’m sorry.”

His parents both looked devastated. “You have to leave, don’t you?” Robert questioned, lowering his eyes to the ground as he stiffened up.

“Yes,” he responded, feeling terrible when the three members of the Queen family retreated away from him, self-preservation taking over for the humans as they discerned the hurt they were moments away from being struck with. “And I don’t know whether or not I’ll ever be able to come back and see you again.”

Even if he did get Felicity back, the two of them would be on the run from the Angels for the rest of their lives. There was absolutely no possibility whatsoever that he would ever be able to return and see his family, especially if his Brethren found out that Oliver had reconnected with them. They would be in a lot of danger if the Angel risked visiting them. 

Moira clapped her hand to her mouth, looking as if she might burst into tears. “Oh, my beautiful boy.”

Robert swallowed, his tone crushed as he murmured, “But we just got you back.”

“I know,” Oliver sighed, ducking his head as he took their hands, squeezing them tightly as if to try and reassure them, although he knew that no words or touch would be able to pacify his family now. “I’m so sorry. I know it’s awful of me to turn up and re-open old wounds after two decades of having - closure. But I have to go. Your information about Felicity is helpful, so thank you for that.”

“We understand that you have to leave. But why can’t you come back and stay with us once you’ve found Felicity?” Thea demanded, sounding wrecked as he grabbed his sleeve and tugged him back towards her. “We could be a _family_ , Oliver.”

“It’s not that simple, Thea,” the Angel pleaded, taking a staggering step backwards and his wings bristling in uncertainty. “I’m not even meant to be speaking to you - it’s against Angelic Law, if they find out I came here, if I ever come back - all three of you will be in danger.”

“We don’t care,” Moira said fiercely, following Oliver down the porch steps. The Angel was concerned for a brief moment that his parents might attempt to stop him, so he backed up further, his wings flaring and tucking nervously. “Whatever danger you think we might be in - we would face anything to have you back with us.”

“You could all be killed!” Oliver snapped.

“You’re an Angel, you could protect us,” Thea protested.

“Not against other Angels, I couldn’t!” he shouted. Forcing himself to calm down, his shoulders and wings slumping as he took in their heartbroken expressions, Oliver ran a shaky hand through his hair, catching it slightly with his fingers that caused a grounding ache of pain. “This is difficult,” he told them quietly, “For _all_ of us. You have no idea how long and how much I have wanted to see you again - to meet you, Thea, to talk to you, Mom and Dad… But like I told Dig and Lyla, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I saw you get hurt, because of me.” He smiled sadly. “I have to go. I’m sorry.”

“Well…” Moira sniffled. “At least we get to say goodbye to you, this time.”

Oliver was completely broken by the time the goodbyes were over, having hugged all of his family members, each for a minimum of five minutes, angrily scrubbing at his eyes when tears began to fall, after his mother called him her beautiful boy again. Thea was sobbing by the time he had to let her go, her hands buried in his green feathers as she refused to let go, not wanting to see the older brother she had just met leave.

Framing Thea’s face with his hands, Oliver bit his lip, turning away as he exhaled a shuddering breath, whispering, “I want you to be happy. I want you to live full lives. And if you can’t do that because of me then…” He met his mother’s stricken gaze and murmured, “Then I want you to forget me. I just want you all to be happy.”

“We’d be happy if you stayed with us,” Thea sobbed.

“I’m sorry,” Oliver mumbled, pulling away from her, even as his little sister tugged on his feathers so hard that it was painful, making him flinch. “I’m so sorry, I love you all. I love you all, and I’m sorry.” Robert gave him one last, understanding and dejected nod. “I love you. Goodbye.”

Robert had to hold both Moira and Thea back as the Angel forced himself to walk away, the weak smile on his father’s face so sorrowful, and their cries so despairing and upset, that Oliver physically restrained himself from returning to them. As their mournful and broken-hearted screams echoed in his ears, the Angel found himself trembling and crying himself as he took flight. Leaving his family. Probably never to see them again.

His flight was so shaky that after a few minutes of pretty much lurching through the sky, Oliver had to compel himself into compartmentalising. He pushed the shattering, agonizing feeling that was plaguing him into the back of his mind, the whipping freezing cold wind current drying the tears on his face and giving him wind burn, making him feel raw. It was only once he had angled himself away from the Queen mansion and towards the coastline that he calmed himself enough to fly steadily.

_Oliver._

He was startled by the sudden voice in his head so much that he dropped out of the wind currently, and struggled to hurriedly beat his wings to rise back into it. It was not, however, an unfamiliar voice to him. He recognised it instantly. _Gabriel_ , he replied, a hint of relief leaking into his mental voice. _I didn’t think you would answer me._

 _You sounded pretty desperate, I’m not gonna lie_ , the Archangel responded, his tone teasing. But it sounded forced. His voice was slightly strained. It made Oliver frown. Why would Gabriel, well known to be the most cheerful and happy-go-lucky Archangel in the Universe, be trying to hide behind a mask of happiness? _Can you meet me on Shearwater Crag?_

Shearwater Crag was a rugged cliff face half a dozen miles north of Starling City’s outermost docks. It was isolated, blocked off from civilisation by a dense forest, and it was a location guaranteed to be safe from watching human eyes. It made sense that Gabriel would want to meet somewhere like that, but it still set Oliver on edge to think that he would be meeting up with his brother somewhere off the radar. _Okay_ , he replied warily. _I’ll be there in a few minutes._

Beating his wings, Oliver turned towards the coastline, psyching himself up for the conversation as he soared over the cliff tops, the sea breeze ruffling his feathers, the moisture carried within it causing his hair to crust with salt crystals. By the time he swerved around, wings flared to full span as he reached the crag, he could see his brother standing at the very edge of the cliff. Diving down towards him, Oliver gently flapped his wings as he landed gracefully behind Gabriel, running a hand through his hair to shake the salt out of it, cautiously rustling his feathers.

“Brother,” he greeted the Archangel quietly. “It’s good to see you.”

The Archangel raised his head slightly, his silver wings shimmering as he pulled them tightly into his back. His blonde hair was carefully trimmed and slicked back, and he was wearing a light grey suit with a blue tie, that had ducks plastered all over it. Gabriel turned to him, a smirk on his face as he replied, “Good to see you too, little bro -” He cut himself off with a shocked expression as he took in the sight of the archer, running his eyes over him. “Oliver - your _wings_.”

“What about them?” Oliver questioned self-consciously, spreading his wings out to glance at them worriedly.

“They’re - _green_ ,” Gabriel observed, his eyes wide.

“They were green before,” Oliver reminded him. “They were so dark that they appeared black, but they’ve always been green.”

“They’ve changed,” Gabriel murmured. “They’re… lighter in colour. It’s… it’s pretty neat, actually.” He narrowed his eyes at the younger Angel, stepping forwards to scrutinise him more closely. “You’ve changed. Your Grace, it’s… marked. By a human Soul.” He shook his head, aghast. “I thought Raphael was lying. But it’s true. You did fall in love with that human.”

“I did,” Oliver admitted, lifting his chin in determination, not showing any fear at all. “And she has gone missing. Please, Gabriel, I need to know where Felicity Smoak is. I know that the Angels took her. Was it because she was investigating my past? But you see - that doesn’t make sense, because I never told her much, and it had to have been an Angel that tipped her off. I need answers, brother. Where is she?” he pleaded.

Gabriel’s expression shifted. Into one of sympathy. Which immediately put Oliver on the alert.

“I’m sorry, Oliver,” the Archangel said gravely.

The archer’s heartbeat increased, and his wings fluttered in anxiety. “What for?” he asked concernedly, glancing around suspiciously, wondering whether or not Gabriel was distracting him so he could be ambushed.

Gabriel shot him a grim look.

And suddenly, Oliver understood.

“No,” he said, shaking his head and taking a shaky step backwards. “No.”

“I’m sorry,” Gabriel repeated.

“ _No_.”

“I’m sorry, Oliver. Felicity Smoak is dead.”

* * *

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading. Please leave kudos and comment :)
> 
> Tumblr: @alexiablackbriar13  
> Twitter: @lexiblackbriar
> 
>  
> 
> **The last instalment in this 'verse is particularly angst-ridden and has traumatic themes. I will be posting trigger warnings in the tags for it, however, if you would like to know ahead of time what sort of traumatic themes will be included in the last instalment, please comment saying so or message me on Tumblr and Twitter. I will let you know the basics and so you can make a judgement whether or not you would like to read. Thank you.**


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